Volunteer of the Quarter for 2023

Congratulations to Joshua Glock! We are pleased to announce Joshua Glock as USO Hawaii Volunteer of the Quarter for Q1 2023!

Joshua Glock has been recognized as the USO Hawaii Volunteer of the quarter for his exceptional contributions to USO Fort Shafter. One of his most notable accomplishments has been his creation and leadership of the Dungeons and Dragons game at the USO Fort Shafter Lounge, bringing Service Members together over their shared love of the game. As online interactions become increasingly popular, the initiative to connect people in-person and provide a fun outlet is highly commendable.

Joshua is an active-duty service member and is part of the new unit stationed at Fort Shafter. He came to Fort Shafter from Alaska. Upon arrival, Joshua asked if there was any opportunity to volunteer and to start a Dungeons and Dragons group here at the USO Fort Shafter Lounge. Joshua is a responsible, natural leader, and took on organizing a game night when given the opportunity. 

An obstacle at Fort Shafter is publicizing our events. When introducing new programming, Facebook is not always effective, therefore, we need to conduct grass-roots advertising. To advertise Dungeons and Dragons, he assisted with marketing efforts by passing out flyers and speaking with fellow service members. Furthermore, provided USO staff with a tutorial on how to play so we would be better prepared to answer questions about the game. On the night of the event, Joshua manages everything from pre-game preparations to helping new players during the game, making sure they feel welcome and part of the group. Additionally, he cleans up the event center afterward. High participation has led to the group meeting twice a month instead of monthly, as was originally planned.

As it is anticipated that once the renovations on the remaining barracks on post have been completed, the need for single-soldier programs that are not meal/food focused will grow in number. The Dungeons and Dragons game Joshua started is an excellent example of non-meal/food-centric programming. Furthermore, this initiative has led to a stronger relationship between the USO and the Fort Shafter community as a whole.

We are grateful to have Joshua as a volunteer at the USO Fort Shafter Lounge. His dedication, hard work, and passion for the cause have been invaluable to us. We look forward to seeing his creative ideas, enthusiasm, and commitment come to life. We thank him for his generosity, and we are honored to have him as a part of our team.